My daughter has bruises everywhere ?

Canada
June 13, 2007 8:34am CST
My 17 year old daughter is bruising really easy these days and was hoping someone might have an idea why . I did make an appointment for her but we can't get in for another couple of weeks . All you have to do is touch her and she has a bruise from it . She always bruised easy but now just someone touching her and she is getting a bruise from in . Her legs look like connect the dots with all the bruises . She is not feeling any different but I am more then a little concerned with what might be wrong with her . If you touch her at all she has a bruise the next morning . We have a wedding to go to but she doesn't want to wear a dress ( and I can understand why ) because her legs are such a mess with all the bruises . She has at least a couple of hundred little bruises all over each leg , she is bruising elsewhere but her legs are the worst . Have you ever seen this or have any ideas what could be causing this . I thought maybe her iron might be down and was going to get her some iron tablets but now am wondering if I should do this or wait til she is checked out , what do you think ?
6 people like this
21 responses
@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
13 Jun 07
I don't want to be a naysayser..but it sounds like a serious blood dyscrasia, it could be she is lacking or not processing vitamin K or aplastic anemia or even leukemia. I would call up the doctor and get in there now...not a few weeks. Or call another doctor. Be tough on this one - get to a doctor
5 people like this
• Canada
13 Jun 07
Thank you I will try again and see if I can get in .
2 people like this
@Woodpigeon (3710)
• Ireland
13 Jun 07
Yes, iron deficiency could be a likely culprit. B 12 deficiency is another anemia that causes bruising. Get it checked, as both can make you feel a lot sicker than you would realise. Shortness of breath and palpitations can also be a symptom of both of the above. I hope it is nothing more serious and good luck.
5 people like this
• Canada
13 Jun 07
That is the one good thing I have noticed is that she does not appear to be sick in anyway not even tired . Thank you for your response .
2 people like this
@lisado (1227)
• United States
13 Jun 07
This could be a form of cancer or something with her blood? Maybe low iron or something? Can you talk to the nurse at your doctor's office and share your concerns with her to either get her into the dr sooner or at least get the dr to order some labs, since some can take weeks to get back? Iron is an easy check, and can be an easy fix. I honestly wouldn't wait that long for her appointment and might even consider a trip to the ER if the doctor can't get her in sooner. While nothing serious might be wrong, I'd rather err on the side of caution. If it IS something serious, sometimes time can be a huge factor and a few weeks could make a major difference.
3 people like this
• Canada
13 Jun 07
This is true , I will see what I can do as so many of you are saying this could be a side of cancer and that is a really scary thought . Thank you for your response .
2 people like this
• United States
14 Jun 07
I'm thinking possibly anemia.... I know this is hard to do, but try not to panic. When my 17 year old nephew was about 3 or 4 years old he suddenly had tons of bruises, too. My brother looked it up on the computer and he saw leukemia as a possibilty. They ran him to the doctor and the doctors immediately send him to the pediatric hospital in Philly. We were all in a panic. The good news was that he had some sort of virus that mimicked leukemia. So there are probably tons of things this can be. Take care and know that I am thinking of you....
3 people like this
• United States
14 Jun 07
If you can't get her into the doctor, take her to the ER. You don't need to worry unnecessarily about something that is probably nothing... Please keep us updated...
2 people like this
@nicolec (2671)
• United States
13 Jun 07
I had a girlfriend who was like that. It was anemia. But the anemia was a result of medication she was on. Is your daughter on any medication? I hate to even mention this, but my friend was on steroids. Perscribed, not illegally using. But that was causing the easy bruising.
4 people like this
• Canada
13 Jun 07
No she is not on any medication and doesn't even take so much as a Tylenol when she has a headache as she doesn't believe in taking pills at all . Thank you for your response .
2 people like this
@bcl_me (582)
• Philippines
13 Jun 07
the last thing i heard about bruises suddenly appear on one's body is a sign the person has leukemia...a cancer in the blood...but i hpe that it is not the one that causes your daughter's bruises so to be sure...you should seek medical checkup...a very comprehensive one...because at that early...only sophisticated machines can detect leukemia. I will also help pray for daughter's healt and well being.
4 people like this
• Canada
13 Jun 07
I pray to God this is not the problem . I do have an appointment to take her in and have her checked out but it isn't for anohter couple of weeks before we can get in to see her . Thank you for your kindness and your prayers !!
4 people like this
• United States
13 Jun 07
There are several possible causes. Anemic and low blood platelets. And it can be leukemia (there are several different types some can be worse than others) My daughter had this when she was 3 years old and was treated for it & is fine now 9 years later. I am not trying to make you panic but it is a possibility that you may have to be prepared for. Getting her to a good doctor who can give a good diagnosis as soon as possible is your best bet. If she does have cancer, there are also alot of alterative treatment available as opposed to the traditional treatments. If she is not in critical condition take a little time and look into your alteratives. I will pray for her and you also.
4 people like this
@sjohnson628 (3197)
• United States
13 Jun 07
I use to bruise easy and my doctor said it was from low iron and that I was anemic. this could be the case with her. Try having her eat lots of veggies that contain iron between now and the time you take her to the doctor. Green veggies have lots of iron. Hope this helps.
5 people like this
• Canada
13 Jun 07
At first I thought this might be the problem as well but she is bruising like nothing I have ever seen before but I am going to get her to try eating more green until I get her in to have her checked out . Thank you for your response .
3 people like this
• United States
14 Jun 07
Does she have a boyfriend? Maybe they are just getting a little to rough and she doesn't want to tell you because she is embarrased. :)
2 people like this
@rusty2rusty (6763)
• Defiance, Ohio
13 Jun 07
I was thinkingthe same thing. Maybe she is anemic and needs more iron. being anemic will cause people to bruise really easy. This condition runs in my family. We know we must eat more stuff with iron in it. Like meats and breads. Not process stuff. But foods like steak, roast beef, chicekn and pork chops.
3 people like this
• Canada
13 Jun 07
Her teacher at school mentioned this today that it could be she has to eat more meat , I had never heard of this before . Thank you for your response .
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (160663)
• United States
14 Jun 07
The people who tell you to call the doctor back and explain thoroughly are correct. You have to be proactive, because it could be serious, or not, but the doctor needs to run some tests. The person who said eat green leafy is right, green leafy veggies contain Vitamin K, a clotting factor. The people who say take Vitamin C are also correct. Vitamin C strengthens the capillaries and help reduce bruising and bleeding. Make sure your daughter is getting plenty of red meat, and eggs, for iron, along with food that contains vitamin C, so she absorbs it. Reinforcing her health with good nutrition will not cover up leukemia, but you are right, iron in pills is more problematic than helpful. If she likes things with molasses, this is also a good source of iron. Keep us posted, be assertive with the doctor. Hugs to you both
@GardenGerty (160663)
• United States
23 Jun 07
Thanks for best response, how is your daughter doing? Keep us posted, Okay? Hugs
• United States
14 Jun 07
Several people have mentioned leukemia and anemia which were my first thoughts also. Neither is anything to mess around with. Call your doctor and tell him what is going on and ask, no demand, to be seen sooner. If they cannot accommodate you, take her to the emergency room. Hopefully, it will turn out not to be anything serious but then you will have saved yourself days of worrying.
2 people like this
@Grandmaof2 (7579)
• Canada
14 Jun 07
I doubt you have anything to worry about in terms of not getting in to see your doctor for two weeks. She won't die because of bruises. If she starts to bleed and you can't stop the bleeding then of course it can be life threatening. Is she taking asprin? I would suggest you do not give her iron or anything else because by time you do see the doctor the doctor won't have a clue where to start. I had this same thing happen to me and it was a mixture of taking one asprin a day and I was enemic. That was easy to detect the doctor put me on one a day low dose asprin and gave me something to build up my blood. Take Care
1 person likes this
• United States
14 Jun 07
I have to agree with those before me who have mentioned a lack of Vitamin C. I had this same problem in my 20's. My mother recommended I start taking Vitamin C with Bioflavinoids 3 times a day. It stopped in a very short period of time. Better to be safe than sorry but I hate to see someone go thru dozens of test, thousands of dollars, and a lot of worry only to find out she just needs to drink a big glass of orange juice a couple times a day. I wish you both the best :D
2 people like this
• United States
16 Jun 07
Has she seen the doctor at this point? Just wondering how she is doing?
2 people like this
• Canada
22 Jun 07
I would like to thank everyone for all their advice and thoughts . We did get to the doctors a few days ago but are still waiting for the test results . They did some sort of clotting test to see how long it took for her blood to clot . Not sure if it was a good sign or not but it took 12 1/2 minutes . Hoping to find out more soon . I would like to thank everyone for their prayers and concern and will update as soon as possible .
1 person likes this
@Lifez2short (4962)
• United States
13 Jun 07
I would not get to worried dont get all worked up. I'm not saying that its not a big deal but I'm thinking that if it was something serious the Dr's would have found it in the past. It's very possible that she is just anemic. But please keep us posted on her situation
3 people like this
• Canada
13 Jun 07
Thanks , it is hard not to worry but I guess we won't know much until she is checked out . The fact that she is not sick in anyway is making me a little more comfortable . Thank you for your response .
3 people like this
• United States
5 Jul 07
Did you take her to the Dr. yet? Just wondering how it went.
• United States
14 Jun 07
I've been anemic a couple times before and it did not cause bruising that was that bad. Occasional bruises but not like that. But if it is due to anemia, the things I have done for anemia is drink the juices of fresh vegetables (getting a juicer), including molasses in my diet, and eating beets. A supplement that builds blood is called BarleyLife. Eating meat is not the only option as far as blood-building goes.
• Canada
14 Jun 07
I had a definciency with my iron as well and am just getting over it and although I was bruising easy it was nothing like this . Thank you for your response .
• United States
14 Jun 07
Some sites say to increase your intake of foods containing Vitamin C. I've known that Vitamin C deficiency could cause bruising... that's not to say that this is it. It may or may not be.
1 person likes this
@eden32 (3973)
• United States
14 Jun 07
Did you really stress to the receptionist how easily she's bruising & how much? I'd try calling back and if you still can't get an appointment sooner, ask if they have a cancel list. My doctor's office will do that- if they have someone cancel they'll call the next person on the list to see if they can come in.
1 person likes this
• Canada
14 Jun 07
I tried to call back today but didn't get an answer . I will try again tomorrow and see if I can get her in sooner . I didn't explain to them what the problem was just that I wanted to get my daughter in there to see them . Thank you for your response .
• United States
14 Jun 07
she should eat a lot of bananas it has a lot of iron in them, i hope it is only a short term effect, tell her to try it.
1 person likes this
• United States
13 Jun 07
hmm.. i heard that eating disorders can lead to these things. but if your daughter is eating healthily, then maybe shes missing something. like as you said, her iron. if you want to cover up the legs from bruises for the wedding so she can wear a dress, use make up. ive seen people who had scars around their faces etc. and they covered it up with make up, looks really normal. hope shes doing ok.
1 person likes this
• Canada
13 Jun 07
Thanks that is not an idea we had thought of , I will have to see if she would be willing to try this as we haves the dress already but now she is not comfortable about wearing it . Thank you for your response .
@FSCAries (881)
• United States
14 Jun 07
I would go ahead and give her the iron tablets. Does she ever have any feelings of anemia, like does she get shaky and have head aches and things?
1 person likes this
• Canada
14 Jun 07
No she is not complianing of anything like this . She doesn't feel sick other then all the burises she keeps geting all the time . Thank you for your response .